


Devil In Me

by Weisse_Frauen



Category: American Horror Story: Murder House
Genre: F/M, Horror, Slow Romance, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-27 00:32:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9941309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weisse_Frauen/pseuds/Weisse_Frauen
Summary: "I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing - I was born with the "Evil One" standing as my sponsor beside the bed where I was ushered into the world, and he has been with me since." Tate/OC





	1. Where Is My Mind?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own American Horror Story or anything of the like. I do own my original characters and any subplots that were not in the show. Also the quote in the summary is from multi-murderer H.H. Holmes.

**The following story is rated M for strong language, violence and sexual situations. Reader discretion is advised.**

**Chapter One: Where Is My Mind?**

**Boston, Massachusetts**

Vivien had just agreed to go to LA to look at a house or two, in hopes of starting anew, when she felt her cellphone vibrate. She looked down at it and saw that it read "Molly", Ben's sister. During Ben's final plea, she had noticed him reject several phone calls but didn't bother asking who it was. Mainly because a part of her just didn't care anymore. He had ruined everything when he betrayed their marriage vows in **their** bed. But even through all the heartache, she still loved him. No matter how much she tried not to, she couldn't help it.

She quickly answered, wondering what was wrong,

"Hello Molly, is something wrong? Or have you just decided to send Briar-Rose back home since you had already signed your parental rights over to us before you fled the state with her?" Her tone conveyed genuine concern intertwined with irritation, that was met Molly speaking frantically, worry and fear lacing her voice. She completely regarded Vivien's words.

"Oh Viv, I know you guys are busy with everything but I just had to call. I don't know what to do, she's been locked up for a month now! That's why I've been trying to get a hold of Ben, I knew he would know what I should do."

Vivien set her mouth in a deep frown as irritation and worry filled her being. Violet had been right to be concerned weeks ago when she hadn't heard from her cousin. Something obviously happened with Molly's daughter, Briar-Rose. She was furious with Molly because she insisted on moving so far away from them. Ben had even stated that putting her daughter through the stress of such a drastic change and ripping her away from her support group would exacerbate her condition, possibly even causing a psychotic break. Ben even volunteered to take her in. Molly had agreed to it but backed out of it at the last minute. Vivien was furious because they had gotten the court documents to have guardianship and custody of her transferred to them. They had called the police but they couldn't find them. She refused to heed the advice and now look, they hadn't been gone two months and now who knows what fiasco's transpired.

"Are you kidding me, Molly? Why the hell didn't you just let her stay with us like we had all originally agreed on? Now she's in jail?!" Vivien snapped through gritted teeth.

Ben walked into the kitchen after he heard her voice getting shrill with rage. Once he caught her eye he silently mouthed, "Who is it?"

Rather than announcing it, she simply put the phone on speaker so he could hear his sisters brazen insensitivity and weak justifications for her selfishness.

"Oh no, Viv! She's not in jail, she's locked up in a loony bin! I know I should have just let her stay with you, I just didn't want to be that far away from my baby."

Vivien and Ben shared a mutually enraged look, so united in their outrage, that they almost forget all their marital troubles. Before Vivien could lambaste her sister in law further, Ben decided to chime in.

"God damn it Molly, what in the hell is your problem?! Your daughter gets admitted to a psychiatric hospital, you don't tell us and then you try to play the loving mother? Your act is far from convincing, Molly." He said darkly. He heard her starting to respond, when a thought occurred to him. He knew his sister always had some sort of hidden agenda.

"Wait, why are you calling us? Oh Jesus Molly, what did you do that they won't release her to you?" Ben finished his question as he figured out her motive for calling before she could answer.

**Seattl** **e, Washington**

I was laying on the cot provided in my cell, staring up at the ceiling wondering if I would ever get out of here. I don't even know how long I have been here. The days begin to run together after awhile. The full details of how I got here were still a bit fuzzy.

I remember, my mother refused to let me keep taking my meds because I simply needed to learn to be normal. Apparently my condition was bothersome to her current flavor of the week. He explained to her that I was obviously too weak and coddled; I just acted that way for the attention. He didn't seem to mind when he'd creep into my room in the middle of the night. He called me his beautiful basket case and his paranoid angel. I felt vile and covered with a particular filth that would never come clean. I told my mother about it every morning and had pleaded with her to either leave him or just let my go back with my aunt and uncle; that was home to me anyway.. My mother brushed it off and remained adamant that it was just another hallucination, I believed her.

Without my medications, Mr. Cromwell started to talk with me again, though I still hadn't seen or heard from the others yet. I had never stopped seeing him but when I took the pills, it just made his voice sound garbled and indistinguishable. He was very unhappy with me. He started telling me to do horrible things to people. I tried to ignore him and go on with my life but he was my constant torment. He would scream at me night and day. I couldn't sleep or function. I just wanted it to _stop_.

I walked over to the grungy mirror on the wall. I had bandages covering my left ear and directly below it, as well as right below my jugular. In my desperation to get Mr. Cromwell to leave me alone, I had taken a pocket knife and a screwdriver to myself. I don't remember too much after that.

Since I've been here, I've been very compliant with Dr. Lane's requests. I participated in group as well as individual therapy. I took my medications without a fight, which seemed like a rare feat in the place. I even showered and shaved in front of the nurses and orderlies, which was the standard procedure; they had to watch to make sure that I didn't try to harm myself. Standard procedure or not, it was a humiliating experience. Being naked in general really isn't my idea of a good time, let alone in front of a group of people. I hate it here. Even so, I cooperated as much as I was able because Dr. Lane had made an agreement with me. She said that if I complied with everything that I was supposed to do, she would give me back my cell phone so I could contact my cousin, Violet.

 _ **I missed Violet. We talked everyday, about anything and everything. She was the one person I could talk without feeling judged and vice versa.**_ _ **Cousin or not, she was the on**_ _ **ly fr**_ _ **iend I**_ ' _ **ve ever had.**_ _ **I needed to talk to her, I was worried about her. She had been very depressed lately with everything that had gone on with her parents.**_

_**First the horrible miscarriage, followed by the funeral, the infidelity of her father and the constant fighting and tension between them. I love my uncle Ben and my aunt Vivien unconditionally but I am still very upset and angry with them.** _

_**The miscarriage was a tragedy, but we all grieve differently and I don't think anyone should be forced to attend a funeral. So when I got the 2 a.m. call from Violet, her voice cracking as she begged me to come with her, I couldn't tell her no. She didn't want to go but her parents were making her, hoping that sharing in the grieving process would bring them closer together. It didn't, if anything it pulled them farther apart. We went but sat on the opposite side of the pew as her parents. She had a death grip on my hand, leaned her head on my shoulder as she fought back tears. I sat there rigidly, trying to comfort her as well as I could but I felt helpless. She was always the strong one, not me. I didn't know how to save her from the pain.** _

_**After that came the adultery, my uncle had an affair with his prized pupil. No one is entirely sure how long the affair went on before he was caught in the act or if it was indeed a one time thing like he claimed. It completely shattered Violet's view of the man who was once her hero. I hated seeing her so disillusioned and hurt.** _

" _Briar-Rose?…..Briar-Rose?"_ _ **"Briar-Rose?!"**_ **"BRIAR-ROSE HARMON!"**

A familiar voice called me out of my thoughts as I looked to up to Dr. Lane wearing a concerned grimace as she stared at me.

"Yes, Dr. Lane?" My voice still held a raspy hoarseness to it that came from the latest catatonic and psychotic episodes I had experienced.

I could see Dr. Lane visibly relax as she spoke. "Well you were certainly deep in thought, I had been to trying to get your attention for over five minutes! Do you want to tell me what you were thinking about?"

I gave a sigh before droning my answer, "My family."

With a nod and a knowing smile, she took a seat next to me. I looked up at her with curious anticipation as she began to speak.

"Well about that. You have done so well with everything this last month, I am absolutely thrilled with your progress! You should be proud of yourself for the strength you have shown. I think it's time that I fulfill my end of the bargain don't you?" Her smile made her brown eyes sparkle as she pulled out my

cellphone from her pocket. "It's fully charged. If you keep up your routine, you may use it an hour in the morning and an hour at night."

My heart was beating wildly with pure unadulterated happiness. I had finely done something right, on my own. As I reached out my trembling hands to grab my phone. I turned on the phone and waited with anticipation for it to boot up. My felt my heart sink as hundreds of missed calls, texts and voicemails from the last month popped up. They were all from Violet. I read through them in quick succession, before listening to the voicemails. They started out concerned, then angry, then frantic and finally defeated. I felt like I had failed her. She had needed me and I wasn't there. My illness prevented me from being there for her.

I couldn't fight back my frustrated tears any longer as I rapidly texted her back. Dr. Lane placed a hand on my shoulder while softly asking, "Are you doing alright, Briar-Rose?"

I felt overwhelmed. I began compulsively repeating her word "Alright" over and over. I felt as though I were in an endless loop and no matter how hard I tried to break out of it, I couldn't. I hated myself for being so weak.

**Boston, Massachusetts**

Violet has just walked out of her favorite bookstore, more sullen the usual as she on a bench and pulled out "The Man Who Laughs" to read. It had been over a month now since she had spoke with her cousin, though not for lack of trying. She knew that Briar-Rose wouldn't ever her intentionally blow her off, especially not for this long. Something was wrong, she could just feel it. It didn't matter how much her parents tried to ease her worried mind, her concern remained. Even though she knew something had to have happened, she couldn't help but feel a little betrayed by Briar-Rose. She knew full well how ridiculous that was but she couldn't help it. She felt abandoned by the only person that ever truly understood her.

Violet was called out of her thoughts when she felt her cellphone vibrating continuously in her pocket. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion because she never received too many calls and texts and now she was being flooded with messages. She pulled out her phone and a genuine smile lit up her face. Seeing her cousin's name on there caused relief to wash over her. She read through the messages and began to feel a bit guilty when Briar-Rose apologized for not being there for her, especially when she found out _why_ her cousin was so aloof lately.

" _I've been at Morde Asylum in Seattle, Washington for about a month. I've done everything they told me to and today Dr. Lane gave me my phone to use 2 hours a day. I'm so sorry, Vi! I should've been there for you….."_

Anger was replacing Violet's guilt as she processed that piece of information. Briar-Rose was committed and Molly had neglected to let anyone know...For. A. Month. Even when they had all called her on several occasions when Violet started to get worried and Molly never **once** mentioned that _THAT_ was the reason why no one had heard from her. Slamming her book shut and stuffing it into her bag, she called her cousin as she began power walking home.

Her heart sank when she could hear the tears thickening Briar-Rose's voice. Her entire being was filled with self-reproach because her cousin felt so devastated for letting her down. Regretting her emotions previously getting the best of her, she wished she could take back the anger filled messages she had sent, but she had just been so damn frustrated.

"Hey, hey, HEY! Briar-Rose it's fine, I promise. I'm not mad or upset with you. I was just worried about **you**." Violet spoke in a soft tone that others weren't used to hearing.

She felt terrible lying to Briar-Rose but she knew that if she didn't, her cousin would never forgive herself.

"Oh. Alright. Well I'm still sorry that I worried you. Have you heard from my mother at all? Dr. Lane said she spoke to her once when I first got here but she hasn't been able to get a hold of her since." Briar-Rose voice was still thickened with tears but she was far more legible. It was obvious that she was hoping to hear that her mother was actually concerned for her.

Violet couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mother hadn't even come by to visit her. She was beginning to wonder if it were even possible for her aunt Molly to NOT be a piece of shit. She felt her heart racing from the rage that was coursing through her veins. She was so sick of the adults in her life being stupid. What happened when you passed the threshold into adulthood that made you no longer capable of being a decent person?

She and Briar-Rose continued talking until she was about a block away from her house. It was so nice to have her best friend back. They talked about everything that happened of the last month. Violet was surprised and happy at how much better her cousin sounded, what ever treatment she was getting was obviously helping. Still, they used to live mere houses from each other, sometimes in the same house. Now they were almost three thousand miles apart. It sucked and made Violet all the more moody and depressed.

"Well, it's been wonderful talking with you Vi! Seriously, you have no idea how much better I feel, thank you for that by the way. But I have to go to Group now. I'll talk to you tonight, okay? I love you." Briar-Rose spoke in a much more calm and relaxed voice. If Violet wasn't mistaken she even thought she could detect a hint of excitement in her tone.

She smiled softly before saying, "Oh don't thank me, I'm just glad that you're okay. Alright, I'll let you go. I love you too." She stuffed her phone back into her pocket before marching up to her house. With a heavy sigh she pushed open the door.

She was welcomed to sound of her mother shrieking like a banshee and her dad yelling. She figured they had started fighting earlier than usual today. As she looked around, she noticed suitcases and boxes packed up everywhere. She followed the sound of her parents screaming with fury into the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Violet's droning voice cut through the sound of their arguing as they looked up at their daughter. Both instantly stopped shouting and softened their expressions.

Vivien stretched out her hand to Violet as she spoke in a gentle tone. "Oh, come sit down sweetheart. We have a lot to discuss." Ben nodded in agreement, trying to keep his gaze soft and loving.

With apprehension and an annoyed roll of the eyes, Violet took at seat at the table with them.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ So that was the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any questions or comments feel free to message me or leave a review! If you have any constructive criticism to offer, I would be happy to hear. Thank you for taking the time to read this.


	2. Interstate Love Song

**Chapter Two:** **Interstate Love Song**

**Somewhere On I-90WA**

It had been almost two weeks since her parents decided to uproot all of their lives and move to California as a last ditch effort to save their marriage. The tension in the car was palpable as everyone remained silent most of the time. Occasionally Ben or Vivien would attempt to make small talk, pretending that things were okay between them. Then Ben would take it too far and try to hold Vivien's hand or pat her leg; Vivien would visibly tense up until he removed his hands.

' _Yeah, things are great between you two. Totally back to normal"_ Violet thought darkly to herself.

She was not amused at her parents' decision to run away from their problems. She knew that yes, she was their child and therefore not the decision maker; however she wished they would have at least asked her how she felt about the move rather than insisting that she was going to love it. The only saving grace of the entire ordeal was they were stopping in Seattle to pick up Briar-Rose and have her come to Los Angeles to live with them.

She actually _was_ excited about that aspect of this stupid situation. She and Briar-Rose had talked twice a day, everyday since she found out about the move. She took comfort in having someone to vent to that wouldn't make her feel like she was being selfish and childish. After talking to her cousin, she wasn't dreading starting school as much. Since Briar-Rose had missed so much school due to her condition, it meant that she had to repeat a grade, meaning that they would be in the same grade. She took solace in the fact that she wouldn't be in the eighth level of hell known as high school alone; it would be 'them against the world' like it used to be before Molly stole Briar-Rose away.

"Okay, you're going to want to merge into the right lane now, Ben. That's our exit coming up." Vivien instructed, looking up from the printed directions in her hands.

"Alright, how many miles until we get there?" Ben inquired as he pulled onto the desired exit. His tone made it evident that he was getting into "psychiatric professional" mode.

"Well according to the directions, we only have thirty miles to go." Vivien answered offhandedly before turning her head to face Violet. She smiled at her daughter as she asked, "Are you getting excited, Vi? We've hardly gotten to talk to Briar-Rose the last couple of weeks. You said, she sounds better?"

Violet couldn't help but smile back as she gave a small nod, they were so close now. "Yeah, she seems way better, whatever treatment they have her on is obviously working." Violet explained happily. She truly hoped that Briar-Rose was getting better.

Ben could sense her hope because he chose to interject with a pompous attitude. "Vi, we've discussed this already. She is mentally ill. The likelihood of your cousin being fully rehabilitated is very low. I just don't want you to get your hopes up for something that may never happen, honey."

Violet was gobsmacked at how her father could talk about his own niece that way. What would he say if he knew all of if he knew all of the unbalanced things inside her head? She gave him a scowl before turning to look out the window with her arms crossed. As she looked out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mother was equally as pissed and had followed suit. Ben puffed out a sigh of frustration but stopped talking. The rest of the drive was silent as they sat there stewing on the negative emotions radiating off of each other.

After driving through acres and acres of pine trees, a large, black wrought iron fence loomed into view. Beyond that, there was prodigious cream colored building that was the embodiment of creepy. It was grungy and had become overgrown with ivy in various spots. In large black script, it read: MORDE ASYLUM est. 1887. They stopped at the gate and hit the intercom button. After a few minutes, a voice rang out through the speakers.

"I apologize for the delay. How may I help you?"

"Yes, this is Dr. Ben Harmon, I am the guardian of Briar-Rose Harmon. I am here to take her home." He spoke with an impressive air of confidence. The voice responded, "Oh yes, of course! Let me just buzz you in, Dr. Harmon."

The lock mechanism on the gate made a mechanical whirring noise as it creaked open. They slowly drove in and parked in the closest space near the door. They all exited the car with near perfect synchronization. Ben grabbed his brown leather document briefcase and slung it over his shoulder. Vivien took Hayley for a little walk before scooping the dog up in her arms, ready to go in. Violet looked at the building in awe.

Slowly, they all trudged up the stairs and through the double doors. The waiting area was massive. They were approaching the receptionist's desk as a door to their left swung open, revealing a pretty petite blond woman wearing a doctor's jacket and an identification badge. They stopped walking as the blond made her way over to them, extending her hand. She wore a professional smile but her brown eyes were a kaleidoscope of mixed emotions.

"Oh, you must be Dr. Harmon! My goodness, the resemblance is striking. Oh! And this must be Vivien and of course Violet! It's so nice to meet you all and to be able to put faces to your names. Briar-Rose talks about you all constantly. I am Dr. Lane, I have been treating Briar-Rose for the past seven weeks." Dr. Lane couldn't hide her bubbly personality as she shook each of their hands warmly.

Ben tensed up at the touch of an attractive woman but quickly replaced his discomfort with his caring 'psychiatrist' expression. "It's nice to meet you Dr. Lane. Tell me, how is she doing?"

She flashed a radiant smile as she explained, "Oh she has made so much progress! Words cannot express how proud of her I am. There's been a few episodes and meltdowns here and there but those are becoming few and far between."

Before Ben could respond, Violet piped up. "Can we go see her? Or at least can I?"

Dr. Lane's smiled as she peered at Violet's pleading eyes. She looked from Ben to Vivien who both had expectant expressions. "As long as your parents are alright with it, you can go sign in and get a visitor's badge. One of the receptionists can escort you to the community room."

Her voice held a much more austere tone as she turned back to address Ben and Vivien. "We do have a great deal to discuss, so perhaps it would be best to do so in private."

Ben was about to speak, when Vivien chimed in with a nod. "I agree. And I just really think they could use some one on one time together." She peered over her shoulder and gave her daughter a small nod.

Violet bolted over to the desk as fast as her feet could carry her. She scribbled down her name and the date before holding out her hand, impatiently waiting for a visitor's badge. The matronly receptionist chuckled merrily at her exuberance. "Come along, dear. The community room is this way." Violet heeded the instructions and followed closely behind her until they disappeared from view.

Once out of earshot, Dr. Lane spoke again. "Please, if you would follow me to my office, I will be better suited to discuss Briar-Rose's case with you both." She motioned for them to follow her as she vanished behind the door she had emerged from. They followed down a long corridor before finally stopping at a rickety antique door.

Dr. Lane unlocked the door and motioned for them to enter and take a seat. She made her way over to the other side large oak desk and took at seat. Sitting in front of her was Briar-Rose's case file. She opened it up, skimmed through it before stopping on a particular page and turning toward Ben and Vivien. Her mouth was in a grim line as she began to recapitulate the case file before them.

"As you can see, Briar-Rose was transferred here by ambulance from the emergency department. The doctor assessing her at the emergency room determined that there was evidence of physical abuse though he can't be sure if it was self inflicted or from an outside source. The doctor suspected sexual abuse but she vehemently refused an exam. She had taken a switch blade and a screwdriver to her left ear and down her neck, insisting that she was trying to drown, a one, "Mr. Cromwell" out of her head. She arrived here in the midst of a severe psychotic episode. When the results of the urine and blood tests returned, it revealed that she didn't have any medication in her system. We discovered that her mother, Molly had been refusing to allow her to take her medications. Molly is still insistent that Briar-Rose is just trying to get attention and that she needs to 'suck it up and learn be normal.'."

She paused to gauge their reactions. She was attempting to determine if they were previously aware of the treatment that Briar-Rose was experiencing at home or if this was new information to them. If she had the slightest indication that they knew beforehand, she would not release Briar-Rose into their care.

Dr. Harmon had his jaw clenched, nostril flared and his pupils were nearly nonexistent. The anger that was radiating from him was obviously a genuine reaction of learning this information. She then shifted her gaze over to Mrs. Harmon. Her eyes welled up with tears as she raised up a hand to cover her agape mouth. Dr. Lane felt that their reactions made it quite evident that this was the first they were hearing of any of this information.

**Community Room at Morde Asy** **l** **um**

I was sitting with my back resting against the arm of sofa with my knees tucked up against my chest in the community room. It was our "enrichment activities" period. Those of us who were compliant, were given two hours to enjoy activities that would give us a sense of normalcy. I was currently engaged in a game of King's Corners with a boy from group therapy named, Neil. He had gotten here right after me, suffering from "Cotard's Syndrome. Since his treatment regimen, his condition had significantly improved. We weren't exactly close but we enjoyed making small talk and playing cards.

"So, I got a call from my parents today. They're gonna come up on Wednesday. Two days left and I get to go back home! When are you getting out of here, Briar-Rose? Your move" Neil explained with a grin. He discarded and motioned for me to take my turn. He ran his fingers through his coarse red hair, pushing it out of his blue eyes.

I quickly took my turn before going on a giddy tangent. "That's great, Neil! Well I spoke to my cousin Violet this morning, she said they should be here some time today! So I'm hoping that they'll be here soon. It's your turn."

My eyes widened as he won the game with his final turn. I could never figure out how he always seemed to win, but I still enjoyed playing nevertheless. I was playing with the hem on the bottoms of the blue scrub pants provided to me as a victorious smile lit up Neil's face.

"Oh that's great! I mean, I'll miss you the next couple of days but I know you've been really excited about them coming. Hey look, I win! Good game though, you're getting better. Wanna play again?" He asked as he gathered up the cards and began shuffling them.

I smiled and went to respond when one of the receptionists walked in. "Briar-Rose? You have a visitor."

She called out, making my heart race with excitement. I hadn't had a single visitor the entire time I had been here. I then remembered Neil as I looked nervously from him to the receptionist and back. He had caught on to my inner battle and laughed. "Don't worry about me, you've been waiting for them for weeks. Go on!" He urged me.

I gave me a thankful smile as I shot off the couch like a bullet. Quickly announcing my presence in the room known. "Yes, I'm right here!"

At the sound of my voice, I saw Violet jump out from behind the receptionist, pushing past her has she stampeded toward me and pulling me into a spine snapping hug. I quickly returned the hug, feeling a lump form in my throat as I fought back tears of happiness. The receptionist left the room with a small laugh while shaking her head. After a few more moments, we pulled away. I felt relieved to see that her hazel eyes were also brimming with tears. She gave a small chuckle as she hastily wiped her eyes.

"Sorry, I just missed you."

I simply nodded my head in understanding, enjoying this feeling of surrealism. As she took a step back, I noticed that in the time we had been apart, she a grown a couple inches. She had always been an inch or so taller than me, not that that was a great feat as I just barely brushed the five foot mark; but our height difference was much more noticeable now.

"I missed you too, Vi. How are things with the parental units?" I bit back an amused smile as she snarled in frustration.

"They're ridiculous. It's awkward as shit in the car Bry, so fair warning! You better be prepared to start tiptoeing on eggshells now. Mainly around dad though, he's just trying to push things back to normal too quickly and mom's just not ready for it; making me and you their honorary buffers."

She rolled her eyes, but a happy smile returned to her face. She grabbed my hand, pulling me over to one of the vacant sofas; she flopped down with a laugh as she dragged me down with her. My giggles died down as I brought my knees back up to my chest and rested my chin there. I just sat there for awhile, simply enjoying her company, noting how calm and at peace I felt around her. We were just free to be ourselves. A small contented smile rested on my face.

"Something wrong, Bry?" Violet inquired with her brows lightly furrowing with concern. After being called back to reality, I raised my head up off my knees and looked up at her.

"What? Oh no, not at all! I am just happy." I said giving her a smile that she matched with a brighter one.

"Oh alright. Just making sure. So I know this is going to come out insensitive and make me sound like an ass but I have to know. What's it like staying in a place like this?" She asked cautiously, her eyes burning with curiosity.

I couldn't help but laugh. "It's really not as bad as you might think. It's definitely not as bad as the movies make it out to be. We're not prisoners nor are we criminally insane. If you're compliant with the treatment, you actually have a great deal of freedom. I won't lie, I have had a few episodes while I've been here. When that happens, you are confined to your room, and an orderly or a nurse is with you at all times. When it gets really bad, they administer chemical sedation. And while that sounds like a friggin' sweet band name, it's actually just a professional way of saying that they stab you in the thigh with a syringe and inject you with a high dose sedative." I explained nonchalantly.

Her eyes widened briefly before scrunching closed as she erupted with laughter. "You're ridiculous, you know that? Only you could make something like that, sound funny." She declared between bouts of laughter. I just gave her a lopsided grin and shrugged.

We sat there together, talking, laughing and just enjoying each others company after months of being a part. She, the brooding pessimist was wearing an uncharacteristically hopeful smile as she revealed her excitement over living together again, attending high school together and actually being in the same grade. I beamed, nodding my head and occasionally responding where appropriate, it was blatantly obvious that she hadn't had someone to talk to in quite awhile. It didn't bother me at all, I have always been happy to listen to whatever she had to say.

She was just telling me about new discovery of Morrissey and how the lyrics felt that they were written exclusively for her. I laughed and went to respond when Dr. Lane walked in, my uncle Ben and aunt Vivien trailing behind.

"Briar-Rose, come here please." Dr. Lane called out to me with a compassionate tone. She must have noticed my apprehension as I got up because she added, "Violet can come too."

At this, Violet jumped to her feet and linked arms with me in a protective manner. She obviously had same bad feeling the I did. Something was off. I faced Ben and noticed he looked pissed; his jaw was clenched and his mouth set in a grim line. Vivien was a little better at hiding her feelings; she flashed us a warm smile but you could see a very different emotion swirling in her eyes. Violet and I exchanged confused glances as we approached them.

I gazed up at them timidly. "Is something wrong? Have I done something?"

Violet looked as though she were waiting for the opportunity to attack if she saw fit. I might have grinned if I weren't so anxious. They all tried to soften their expressions and relax their body language. It wasn't all that convincing but it did make Violet simmer down somewhat.

Dr. Lane spoke first. "You haven't done anything wrong, Briar-Rose. In fact, I was just telling your aunt and uncle how much progress you've made."

Then uncle Ben chimed in next. "Yeah, we're proud of you, short stack! It looks like we're going to be able to manage this better now." He gave me an affectionate wink and a small smile.

Finally aunt Vivien spoke up. "Hey Bry, it's so good to see you again, you look great. We sure have missed you." She looked down at me, smiling and stretched out her arms. I quickly unhooked arms with Violet as I closed the distance between Vivien and myself. I pulled away and went back to Violet.

"This is nice to all nice but it still doesn't fully answer my question. What's wrong?" I eyed all of them expectantly. Dr. Lane motioned for them to explain, with a look of disgust plastered on her soft features.

Ben swallowed loudly and spat his next words. "Your mother's here."

"Oh, God" my inner monologue droned. Their attitudes suddenly made sense. It's incredible how three simple words can knot your stomach and fill your entire being with dread. Violet and I had discussed my mother in great length over last to weeks and I had learned a lot about the kind of person she is. I always knew but I didn't want to except it; so I tried to remain loyal to her. And honestly, I didn't want to see her any time soon, let alone right now. Before I could respond, Violet jumped to my defense.

She snarled before going on a furious tirade. "This is such bull shit! It's that dumb cow's fault that this happened to Bry in the first place. What the hell is she trying to systematically destroy now? I cannot bel-"

I cut her off by putting a hand on her arm. She looked at me curiously, I shook my head and mouthed 'thanks'. She just nodded as she resisted the urge to harangue them further. It was easy to see that they were in full agreement with Violet. I shifted awkwardly but forced myself to speak up. "Well what does she want?"

"She wants to come say good bye. She is outside waiting. So, whenever you're ready, you can gather your things from your room." Dr. Lane responded briskly, making her displeasure of the situation evident.

I nodded absentmindedly and looked at the ground. Violet bounced on the balls of her feet as she tried to figure out what she should do. I smiled meekly before murmuring, "Okay, I'll go get my stuff."

"I'm coming with you" Violet demanded. I nodded softly as we made our way to my room, grabbing my small tote bag before heading back. Upon returning, I saw all of the teens from group standing by Dr. Lane.

I approached them curiously. They all beamed at me before handing me a card. I opened the envelope to find a generic card filled with messages of encouragement and their cell phone numbers. I couldn't help the grin that broke out over my features. I looked up at them, flattered. "Wow, thank you guys, sincerely."

They broke out in a chorus of "Of Course" and "We'll miss you Briar-Rose" and "Don't forget to keep in touch!" They made their way up to me one by one before giving me a hug and returning to their rooms because the enrichment period was coming to a close. I thanked all of them individually as I returned their hugs.

The community room now empty, I looked to my aunt and uncle. I heaved a sigh before saying, "I'm ready."

Dr. Lane walked us all the way to entrance. She stopped me as we were about to leave. "I am so proud of everything you have accomplished here, Briar-Rose. After the discussion I had with your uncle, I have no doubts that you will continue to improve. It has been a pleasure treating you. If you ever need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to call." She whispered as she handed me her card. I thanked her and gave her an appreciative nod.

Violet once again glued her hand to mine and squeezed it in quick succession, letting me know she was angry. I squeezed back in an attempt to ease her tension. The moment we exited the building, my mother came running up to us, flapping her arms in excitement.

She crashed into me, flinging her arms around me and covering my cheeks with kisses. I felt my whole body stiffen. Violet glowered at my mother who kept repeating "I missed my baby girl so much" as if it were some sort of mantra, that if she said it enough it would be true. Seeing no end in sight if I just stood there, I brought my arm up and rigidly patted her on the back. She finally pulled away and looked at all of us.

I looked at my family and couldn't help but find it odd.. If you didn't know, you would swear that Violet and I had the opposite parents. She had the same dark blonde, light brown locks, the same hazel eyes and shared many features with my mom. I on the other hand, possessed the thick dark brown mane though mine was darker, the ice blue eyes and full lips of my uncle. If I hadn't been born nearly a year before, one would be convinced that we had been switched at birth.

She blathered on trying to make herself appear like the perfect mother and explaining how hard it's been for her. Violet had my hand in a vice grip when my mother tried to explain how I was an inconvenient burden because of my illness. This caused Vivien to snap.

"You are a real piece of work, Molly. How can you even call yourself a mother?"

My mother looked horrified at Vivien's words. She pulled her hand to her chest and tried to defend herself and how hard she had it.

"You know what? I have heard enough and so have the girls. Come on girls we're going to the car." She beckoned us over as she dismissed my mother. Upon reaching her, she gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze and stepped in front of Violet, acting as a protective shield.

As she was ushering us to the car, she turned her head and said, "Just because you gave birth, doesn't make you a mother. It's the nurturing and unconditional love that makes you a mother. At this point, you're nothing more than a glorified egg donor."

"Holy shit" Violet and I exclaimed in unison as we slipped into the car.

We had to wait a good half hour before Ben finally climbed into the drivers seat. He wore a grimace as he turned the ignition and pulled out of parking lot. We all sat in silence, the negative energy radiating off of each person in the car.

It's only a sixteen hour drive.

**Author's Note:** So here's chapter two, finally finished! Enjoy! I hope to read your reviews. 


	3. Plush

**Chapter Three: Plush**

It was day four of what was quite possibly the most uncomfortable road trip I had ever endured. The day they had picked me up made for an extremely long, awkward ride. Ben had made the mistake of scolding Vivien about losing her temper, which was met with wrath of Violet and Vivien, hell even I got a few choice phrases in. The last two days had been better, but it was pretty obvious to see that their marriage had yet to make a full recovery. And Violet was right, we worked as buffers so they could carry on a conversation that wasn't painfully awkward...For them anyway.

The morning that we set out toward LA, I felt sick to my stomach, feeling bile rising up to my esophagus. I knew full well that I wouldn't be able to last the whole car ride without vomiting if I remained conscious. So I took the safe approach and downed one of my high dose pills of Seroquel, chasing it with a bottle of water. After showering, I dressed in a pair of a faded jeans, a blue tank top with a black zip up hooded sweatshirt and a pair of black ballet flats. I pulled my long dark brown waves into a chignon. I gazed at myself in the mirror, the scars that were on on my jawline, stretched down to my neck were still a furious scarlet shade. I didn't bother with makeup because it would only draw more attention to my healing scars. With an unhappy sigh, I walked out of the bathroom and got my tote all ready to go. Once finished I slumped on the bed as another wave of nausea hit me. I clutched my stomach and groaned right as Vivien walked in to see if we were getting ready yet.

She rushed over to me, petting my hair with concern etched into her features. "Oh Bry, are you alright? You're looking a little peaked."

I gazed up at her with a weak smile. "I'm alright auntie. I'm just a little queasy. It's probably from being in the car so much the past few days. You know me, I've never done well on extended car rides. I think I've ruined the interior of too many of your cars for you to forget."

She smiled warmly as she rested a hand on my cheek. "Oh that's right, I can certainly recall a few of those instances of that when you and Vi were little girls. Listen, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for how difficult things have been for you lately, Briar-Rose. And I would like to apologize for what I said to your mother. That wasn't fair to you, I shouldn't have lost my temper."

She could be such a kind woman and for that reason I could never understand how she wound up with my uncle. Granted, I love Ben dearly, but I was certain that he had to be one of the most selfish human beings on the planet.

I gazed up at her with the best reassuring grin I could muster. "I've been fine auntie, really I have. You shouldn't apologize for things that are out of your control though. It's ridiculous to put that kind of unnecessary guilt on yourself. And as for what you said to my mother, I don't need nor do I want an apology. I know the kind of person she is and has always been, I don't try to defend her anymore. Your points were valid. All you did was tell the truth, so why would you be sorry for that?"

She let out an airy laugh as she hugged me. "I sometimes forget how philosophical you are, Bry. You've never seen things that way others do." She went to go check on Violet, who was currently out on the balcony smoking.

I shifted uncomfortably as her words hit me. I know she had meant it as a compliment that should have made me feel special but as I looked up at her, I could see Mr. Cromwell standing there before me; I would hardly say that I felt special. He wore a devious grin as his dark eyes met mine. He lifted his ornate cane and used it to motion towards Vivien. Since I had yet to take my medications this morning, his voice rang out loud and clear in my ears.

"My God! Have you ever heard such pretentious drivel before? She is clearly a dingbat and I cannot bear to hear another word. You know what to do, my dear girl, just do it. Take out your little letter opener of a knife and do it!"

I scrunched my eyes shut as tightly as I could and tried to will him away. I opened them quickly and grabbed all of my pill bottles and took out all of my pills for the day. As I was drinking my water to help ease the pills down, I chanced a glance up at Mr. Cromwell to see him fuming.

"How dare you! You filthy little nudnik! You simply must learn to get on the trolley!"

"I can't, please just leave me alone." I whispered in defeat.

He glowered at me and stood tall. "Oh Bushwa! You're only prolonging the inevitable."

I hadn't heard door to balcony slide open so it came as a mortifying shock to me when I heard Vivien and Violet ask me, "You can't what? Who are you talking to Bry?"

I felt my cheeks ignite with the heat of embarrassment as I saw Mr. Cromwell swell up with a pompous smug attitude. I quickly tried to dismiss them.

"What do you mean? I haven't said anything? Well I have everything ready, so I'm going to go down now and wait in the car."

I fled the room before they could respond. I climbed into the very backseat and laid down facing the seat. I could hear Mr. Cromwell scoff indignantly. He went to speak but my meds were finally taking hold as his voice became garbled once more. I peeked up to see his face contorted in rage but he words were indiscernible now. I pulled my knees up to my chest and willed myself to relax.

Violet climbed in shortly after me, sitting in the middle row of seats. She turned back toward me and asked, "You sure you're okay Bry?"

I sighed when I could hear the concern in her voice. "Yes Vi, I'm fine. My stomach is just churning right now. I took a pill so I can rest and hopefully not puke."

I could feel her gaze burning holes into my back, she was clearly unconvinced but let it go. "Alright Bry. I hope you feel better. Just text me when you want to talk okay?"

"Thanks Vi, I will." Was the last thing I said before sleep took hold of my body.

* * *

I woke up a few hours later to sound of talking. I was elated when I realized my stomach was no longer churning.

"The light is different out here. It's softer." Vivien commented.

Violet chimed in with her usual sarcasm. "It's called smog."

"You should be excited, Vi. You can stop sneaking cigarettes and just start taking deep breaths." Ben quipped with a smile in his voice.

I could almost feel Violet roll her eyes before she announced, "I need to go to the bathroom.

"We're almost there" Ben said.

Violet countered, "I need to go."

Ben sighed. "Vi, it's a freeway. Really, where do you want me to pull over? Maybe the Honda next to us has a bathroom or something." The amused tone his voice held made it obvious he thought he was being funny.

Violet sulked. "Bet if the baby had to shit, you'd find somewhere."

I took my cell phone out and typed a quick message. _"Cheer up sassy pants!"_

"Really, Violet? I hate that word, unless I'm saying." Vivien chided her playfully.

Violet snorted as she responded to my text. _"Ha ha very funny…. Thank god you're up! They've been driving me bat shit crazy."_

Ben chimed in with "I'm really glad we named you Violet, instead of our second choice."

Violet caved. "Which was?"

Laughter thickened Vivien's voice as she responded, "Sunshine" causing her and Ben to chuckle while Violet let out an irritated fake laugh.

"It's funny. Come on, you gotta admit it's funny." Ben teased.

I took this opportunity to sit up, stretch and rub my face. I stifled back a yawn as Ben perked up.

"Hey there sleepy head! Look who finally decided to join the land of the living."

I forced out a soft laugh and apologize. "I'm sorry for sleeping for so long. I just didn't think you'd appreciate it if I vomited in the car."

Vivien used the rear view mirror to look at me. "How are you feeling now, Briar-Rose? You don't look as pale as you did earlier.

"I feel much better! Thank you." I declared with a smile. "Well good."Vivien replied happily. Violet laid her head back on the seat to look at me before rolling her eyes. I grinned at her as I shrugged my shoulders.

* * *

We finally arrived at our destination. We made our way through yard, heading towards the door. It was a large brick home. I would go as for as to say that it was a mansion, it was far too grand of a place to simply be referred to as just a house.

I stayed back with Violet by the steps, standing beside her. We could still hear Ben gushing from a few feet away as he rang the doorbell.

"I love it! Don't you love it, hon? I mean it looks even better than it did online."

Vivien however, didn't seem as charmed by the home as her husband. "Yeah, it's _interesting_."

Violet scowled at her father as she grumbled, "Great. So we're the Addams Family now."

I broke out in a grin as I leaned in asked, "So, does that make me cousin It or Pugsley? I think we can agree that my mother is Uncle Fester."

Her eyes gleamed but she bit back a smile as she muttered, "You'd definitely be Pugsley, Bry. She totally is! "

I scoffed but tittered nonetheless, when Ben called us over.

"Hey! Crabby pants, tiny dancer, come here."

I furrowed my brow at his choice of nick name for me, he's a ridiculous man. Violet's usual frown appeared on her face as she linked arms with me a dragged me along with her. As we closed the space between us, Ben slung his arms around Violet and Vivien, pulling them in close to him. Since Violet had her arm locked with mine, I got pull into that awkward hug as well.

"Isn't this place amazing?" He asked in awe.

Before we could respond, the realtor opened the door. Her hair was cropped short and her side swept bangs brushed her aging face. She wore a blue blazer jacket with, with three-quarter sleeves and a silken flower pinned to it. Her skirt matched her jacket and her outfit was accented with a pair of modest heels.

"Welcome!" She greeted as she motioned for us to enter the home. She started the tour right away.

"It's a classic LA Victorian. Built around 1920 by the doctor to the stars at the time. It's just fabulous. These are real Tiffany fixtures. As you can see, the previous owners really loved this place like a child. They restored everything." She motioned toward different features of the house to emphasize her selling points.

Ben, Violet and I stayed a few paces back while Vivien stuck close by the realtor as she inquired, "Gay?"

The realtor turned her head with her eyebrows raised. "What do you think?"

Ben leaned in closer to us to whisper, "Tiffany. Wow." I gave him a tight smile and an appeasing nod, while Violet just ignored him.

We made our way into the huge kitchen as the agent asked Vivien, "Do you cook?"

Ben decided to answer for her. "Viv, is a great cook. I got her cooking lessons a few years ago, and she ended up teaching the teacher a few things."

The realtor softened her expression. "Cooking lessons… Romantic. Aren't you a psychologist?"

I saw a hint of irritation in Ben's eyes as he corrected her. "Psychiatrist. You said something on the phone about there being a study that I could use as a home office? I'm planning on seeing patients here, so I can spend more time with the family."

The real estate agent beamed. "How refreshing."

Hayley was getting restless, so Vivien set her down. Once her feet touched the ground, she bolted out of the kitchen barking away.

"Girls, would you go see where Hayley went? Thank you."

Violet and I followed the sounds of Hayley's woofing. We found her in front of an old rickety door, her fur raised up. We shared a puzzled look as Violet went over to the door.

"What are you yapping at?" She asked the dog as she opening the door. After several unsuccessful attempts, the door finally creaks open. She turns towards me with a mischievous grin.

"C'mon, let's go check it out." I narrowed my eyes at her as I scolded her. "Have you not seen any horror movies? They pretty much all start like this."

She guffawed at me before trying to reason with me. "Yes, of course I have. But it's always only one person going. There's two of us. So there's safety in numbers."

I supposed that she did have a valid point. I kept my mouth set in a deep frown as I gave in. "I guess so. Fine, I'll go down with you."

She wore a triumphant grin as she led me down the stairs. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dirt and dust. There were shelving units holding random objects and there was a strange note of decay underneath the musty scent that permeated the space. We gave each other unimpressed looks.

"It's filthy and disgusting down here. Not to mention that awful smell. I'm going back upstairs." I stated as I turned on my heel and started back up the stairs. Violet was at my heels in an instant. "Me too, this was lame."

We finally found them as Vivien was inspecting one of the walls. "This wallpaper is peeling over here. Looks like maybes there's a mural underneath it."

The realtor answered immediately. "The last owners probably covered it up. They were modernists. Speaking of the last owners, full disclosure requires that I tell you about what happened to them.

Ben and Vivien stiffened up as they both glanced at her. "Oh, God… They didn't die in her or anything, did they?" Vivien asked, the color draining from her face.

The realtor didn't miss a beat. "Yes, actually, both of them. Murder-suicide. I sold them the house, too. They were just the sweetest couple. You never know, I guess."

Ben clenched his jaw, trying to contain his irritation. "That explains why it's half the price of every other house in the neighborhood, I guess."

The realtor sighed before trying to convince him that this was the best option available. "I do have a very nice mid-century ranch, but it's in the Valley, and you're going to get a third of the house for twice the price."

Ben wasn't amused. "Right."

Violet chimed in. "Where did it happen?"

"The basement."

We shared a side glance at each other before Violet declared, "We'll take it."

* * *

Being that the previous owners had passed away and come to find out they were on the verge of being foreclosed, purchasing the house was easier than usual. Being a bank owned estate, Ben and Vivien were able to secure a home loan through one of the banks preferred loan companies. Unfortunately, they sunk their savings into the earnest money, closing costs and money down on the loan. However, we were able to start moving in the following day.

As the movers were carrying in the living room furniture, the realtor, Marcy stopped by to place a 'SOLD' sticker onto the realty sign. It took a few hours but we finally had everything moved into the house. We ordered take out from some hipster 'locally grown, organic' restaurant to appease Vivien, not that I was going to complain. I was happy with anything that wasn't hospital cafeteria food.

I had to bunk with Violet for the night because they hadn't gotten me a bed yet. I didn't really care either way, I had even offered to sleep on the floor of my bedroom but apparently that was out of the question. After I changed into my pajamas I brought all my stuff into Violet's room. She was busying herself with unpacking and I could hear the music blasting out of her headphones from across the room. I grabbed my pill bag and gathered up all of my clothes, I crossed the room and got her attention.

She pulled out her ear buds and looked at me. "I'm heading downstairs to do some of my laundry. Do you need anything washed?"

She scrambled over to her travel bag and handed it to me. "Thanks Bry!"

"Yeah, no problem. Do you need anything while, I'm downstairs?" I asked with a tired smile.

"Oh, um yeah can you get me something to drink?"

I arched a brow. "Such as?" Violet smirked, "Coffee." I shook my head. "Yeah, I'll be back in a few minutes"

"Thanks cousin!" She cheered as I left the room.

I tiptoed downstairs as quickly as I could without making too much noise. I threw our clothes into the washers and turned it on before heading into the kitchen. I flipped on the light and went over to the coffee maker. After opening the cupboard right above the coffeepot, I stood on the tip of my toes and stretched my arm up as far as it would go, I still couldn't reach it.

With an irritated sigh, I muttered, "Such bullshit" as I grabbed one of the chairs at the island and brought it over. I climbed up and stood on the chair and could finally reach the coffee. After starting the coffeepot, I replaced the coffee back into the cupboard setting on the bottom shelf this time. I put the chair back, got two cups down and took out some cream and sugar. As I was waiting for it to brew, I heard a floorboard squeak behind me like someone had stepped on it. I gulped and slowly turned around only to be met with nothing. I frowned but decided not to read into it too much.

As I was pouring the coffee, Vivien entered the kitchen. She jumped when she noticed me.

"Oh! Briar-Rose what are you doing down here?"

"Hey, Viv. I started a load of laundry and Violet wanted some coffee so here I am. Besides, coffee did sound pretty good so I decided to get myself a cup as well." I explained as I brought my cup of coffee to my lips and took a sip, enjoying the warmth of the liquid filling my body.

"You know, I generally don't like to consume caffeine so late, but that does sound pretty great right now." Vivien said as she made a cup of her own. She took a generous drink and let out a satisfied sigh. I smiled softly as she turned to face me.

"I couldn't help but notice that you only have one small bag of clothes." She mused at me. I could see her fighting back the urge to make a comment about my mother not bothering to bring my things when she came to say goodbye.

"This is true. But I'll be fine for now." I said shifting uncomfortably.

"I know that you will, but I am not fine with that, especially when Violet's clothes alone could take up an entire room. How about you and I go shopping sometime tomorrow?" Her eyes shined with a hopeful brightness.

I know she was trying to make me feel like I was part of their family nucleus and I appreciated that; but I also felt uncomfortable. I gazed up at her timidly.

"Well, if you want to that would be great. What about Violet though?" I was suddenly guilt stricken, feeling like I was some how overstepping boundaries. Vivien pursed her lips for a moment before answering.

"Well I would love to have a girls day but you know as well I as do, that that has never been Violet's idea of a good time. However, if anyone can talk her into it, it's going to be you. So if you can persuade her, we'll go later in the afternoon."

I stifled a laugh as I imagined the furious scowl plastered to her face in response to any outfit Vivien would suggest for her. "Well I will certainly try to convince but no promises. Either way, I would really enjoy that. Thanks Viv."

"Of course, Bry."

We heard loud footfalls descending the stairs, causing us both to look up. Violet entered the kitchen grumbling. "What the hell Briar-Rose? How long does it take to get a cup of coff—Oh. What's going on?" She shifted her eyes between Vivien and I with a suspicious expression.

I flipped around and poured her coffee, before handing it to her. "I am so sorry Vi! I was making coffee when Vivien came down, and got a cup too. Then we just started talking and lost track of time."

She seemed to relax somewhat. "It's fine. I just starting to wonder if you got lost or something. Thanks for the coffee."

The three of us stood around in the kitchen talking. It was nice to have conversation that wasn't strained and awkward. Vivien and I took the opportunity to ask Violet to go shopping the following day. Her first response was to snort and say 'hell no' but after we spent a long while pulling out all of our persuasive skills, she finally caved and agreed if it meant that we would shut up.

With the coffee pot empty, Vivien gave a disappointed sigh. "Well I guess I should get to bed now. I'll see you two in the morning. Good night girls."

She pulled each of us into a hug and kissed the tops of our heads as we both echoed "good night". She quietly crept back upstairs, obviously trying to avoid waking Ben.

"Wanna go back upstairs?" Violet asked as she was slowly inching out of the kitchen.

"Yeah that sounds good, let me switch over our laundry." I mumbled as I trudged toward the laundry room.

* * *

After switching over the laundry to the dryer, we made our way back up to Violet's room. I put my pill bag back into my tote and faced Violet. She was strangely quiet and fidgety but she didn't seem unhappy. She met my gaze and smiled.

"I'm fine Bry! Granted I was getting a little pissed and worried earlier but I understand. I am just getting jittery about tomorrow."

I crossed the room and sat down next to her, resting my back against the headboard. "Well I'm glad you understand that I wasn't just going to tell your mom to fuck off because you were expecting me back. That's very big of you, Violet." I tried to stay stoic but her shocked expression made it impossible, causing me bark out a laugh.

Seeing that I was joking, she scoffed and smacked my leg. "God, you're an asshole sometimes Briar-Rose."

"Oh come on, Vi! I was only teasing. Don't be mad at me!" I pleaded as I prodded her arm. I went the extra step and stuck out my bottom lip while making my eyes water.

Her hazel eyes widened as she starting to giggle. "There. Now we're even."

As our laughter faded, I became serious. "Why are you jittery?"

She looked me straight in the eyes and I could see her apprehension. "I dunno, Bry. I'm just not looking forward to being the new kid. I mean, I am thrilled that you're going to be there with me. I just don't want to be the weirdo outcast again." She bit her bottom lip and looked down. I felt horrible seeing her so worried and down on herself.

"Hey, it'll be alright. Maybe it's different here than it was back in Boston. I'm certain that you'll make friends, Vi. And honestly, how to you expect to be the weirdo outcast, when you've got me? I pretty much trump everyone when it comes to that." I finished with a goofy grin, hoping that my self deprecating humor would cheer her up, it did.

She chuckled lightly as she a looked up at me with a smile. "Thanks Briar-Rose, I hope you're right. And you are not a weirdo outcast."

I rolled my eyes, I knew she was lying and so did she. "You're welcome, Violet."

"Oh shit! It's already after one, we should try to go to sleep, huh?" Violet asked with a frown. I nodded in agreement and climbed under the blankets as got up to turn off the light. As she tried to navigate her way back to the bed in the darkness of the room, she must have stubbed her toe or tripped because all I could hear was her screaming in a whisper, "OW! Shit, shit! Fuck!"

She flung herself onto the bed as we both succumbed to a fit of giggles. As our laughter died down, we ended up talking until she fell asleep at just after three. I laid there and just stared into the darkness, trying to will myself to go to sleep. I don't know when I finally fell asleep but I woke up at 5:15 that morning. I scooted off of the bed as a quietly as possible and sneaked out of the room.

* * *

I ran downstairs and went to go make coffee. I reached up to grab it down from the shelf but didn't feel it. Furrowing my brow in confusion, I looked up and saw that it was on the high shelf again.

"What the hell?" I grumbled as I grabbed the chair yet again. After I turned the coffeemaker on, I just left the coffee on the counter. I ran into laundry room and grabbed an outfit from the dryer. Back up the stairs, I went and into the bathroom to shower.

After my shower, I dressed in a vivid blue fitted t-shirt, a pair of white jeans and blue ballet flats. I styled my hair in another chignon, my default style. I went back downstairs and got coffee for myself and Violet. I checked the time, it was six. Up the stairs once more, I went and woke Violet up with a cup of coffee.

She groaned and groggily opened her eyes. "Oh thanks Bry" she rasped out as she snatched the coffee from my hands. After a few minutes she got up and stumbled over to one of her bags, pulled out her clothes for the day and staggered to the bathroom. I took my pills and grabbed Violet's empty cup and went downstairs to put the cups in the sink.

At 6:30, Violet came down expressing her individuality through fashion. She wore a gray sweater under a red lacy dress, black oxford shoes and a black hat. A green messenger bag was slung over her shoulder. I smiled at her as she walked into the kitchen as she greeted me.

"Mornin'. Thanks for waking me up, Bry." She took a seat next to me with a nervous smile ingrained in her features.

I stifled back a yawn as I said, "you too. No problem, I figured you want the time to get ready without being rushed.

A few minutes later we could hear Ben and Vivien descend the staircase, their voice carrying through the house.

"Mmm, I smell coffee." Ben announced happily.

"I'll bet you, that you can thank Briar-Rose for that." Vivien mused.

"I have no doubt about that, that girl is a coffee fiend."

They entered the kitchen and looked surprised to see us sitting there, sipping coffee. "Well good morning girls." Ben greeted. We greeted him back and went back to our conversation.

"You're dressed awfully early aren't you, Bry?" Ben inquired looking curious. Violet and I shared a confused look.

"What do you mean? I'm dressed for school, like Violet is." I stated cautiously, eyeing him.

"Oh no..." Vivien and Ben said in unison. Violet narrowed her eyes. "What?" she snapped, getting angry.

Vivien spoke this time, trying to keep her tone sweet and soothing, "Oh Briar-Rose, I am so sorry. I thought Ben told you and I guess he thought I told you."

I scrunched my eyebrows together, getting frustrated. "Told me what? What is going on?"

Ben heaved a heavy sigh before explaining. "Bry, after talking extensively with Dr. Lane, we all agreed that it would be best to hold off on you returning to public school just yet. This move was really stressful and we don't want to stress you into another episode. So we're going to give you some time adjust before you can go to school. In the meantime, we have you setup to do online schooling, through this school so you don't fall behind."

I looked over at Violet and she looked crestfallen. Any excitement that had been in her eyes has been snuffed out. For the first time, I wasn't the sad one, I was the annoyed one.

"WE didn't agree on anything, so the whole "We all" bit is garbage. You couldn't have told me this at any point in time? Seriously, what the hell?" I rebuked.

They all looked at me wide eyed as I was not generally prone to angry outbursts. I saw a ghost of a smile on Violet's face but her entire being still radiated despondency, which intensified my irritation.

"Briar-Rose, I understand that you're feeling let down right now but-

"Don't you dare try to headshrink me like this is my fault, Ben. I have the right to be upset about this. And I am responding with irritation because it is a justifiable emotion in this circumstance. So, just don't." I chastised him before storming out of the kitchen and into the foyer. I went over and took a seat on the staircase and crossed my arms over my chest.

I could hear them in kitchen trying to figure out what to do. Violet told them to give me my space before she left them and came into the foyer. She came and sat down next to me, grabbing my hand in hers as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Well this fucking sucks" She muttered apathetically. I squeezed her hand, "I know. I am so sorry about this. I hope you're not mad with me, Vi."

She lifted her head up to look at me. "Mad at you? Not at all, Bry! If anything, I am just impressed that you didn't let dad guilt you and turn it around on you. It's their fuck up not yours."

I smiled softly. "Thanks. I just wish I could be there with you. You'll tell me all about this afternoon, right?"

"Of course." She assured me.

Vivien walked in, with her car keys in hand, "Hey Vi, we've got to go now okay?"

We both stood up and walked over to the door. Violet gave me an apprehensive look, like she was silently pleading with me to get her out of this situation. I shook my head as I pulled her into a hug that she returned roughly.

I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "It will be alright, Violet. You're the strong one, remember? You can do this?"

She pulled away looking more confident. "Thanks Bry. I'll see you later" She called out as her and Vivien exited through the front door.

* * *

Ben walked in and began saying something to me, I responded by giving him the stink eye and storming upstairs into Violet's room. Once alone, I felt tears spilling from my eyes as I slunk down onto the ground, burying my face into my hands. I wasn't even given a chance to show how much I've grown. They just saw me as weak and mentally fragile. My frustration with myself overwhelmed my senses as I cried myself to sleep.

I was stirred awake a few hours later by a knock on the door, followed by Vivien's voice. "Briar-Rose, may I come in?"

"Yeah" I managed to croak out. I furrowed my brows in intense confusion as I realized that I was now laying on the bed. She entered the room with a meek smile, she must have thought that my vexed expression was directed at her. "I am so sorry about all this. I should have made sure that you already knew and not spring it on you the last minute.."

I softened my gaze. "It's alright, Vivien. I was really upset but I am better now. I am still pissed off at Ben for trying to make me feel guilty for being upset but that has nothing to do with you."

Her eyes hardened somewhat. "Yes, I am not particularly thrilled with him at the moment over that stunt. I am glad you are feeling better though. I do have a request."

I smirked, "I'm all ears, Viv."

"Well if you're feeling up to it, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind lending me a hand unpacking downstairs." She tried so hard to be diplomatic, I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Of course, let me change into something more comfortable." I said getting up and heading downstairs to get more clothes out of the dryer.

She gave me an appreciative smile as she walked down with me. I ran into the laundry room and opted to change in there. I decided to keep my shirt and changed into a pair of cut off denim shorts.

I found Vivien and asked what she wanted me to do. She spun around and grinned. "Oh! Well you can either start unpacking boxes, or you can start peeling off this wallpaper. I am bound and determined to see what's hiding underneath of it.."

"I don't want to be responsible for accidentally ruining that so I will start unpacking." I said, opening a box and getting to work.

We worked for a good hour or so, making small talk here and there. I had already unpack six boxes when Vivien called me over.

"Come here Bry! I've almost got it all off." She beckoned as I ran to her side. I look up as the lack of wallpaper revealed a disturbing painting. The last piece of wallpaper came up as she let out a victorious squeal, "WHOOO!"

We stood there, staring at the painting in horror and amazement. There was something so strange about the painting, it felt as though it were a somber presage of things to come.

"Your going to die in here." A voice called out behind me.

"Oh, I have no doubt." I proclaimed in agreement.


End file.
